Salvador Abril y Blasco (1970 - 1924)

Artist. Born in Valencia, Spain, he studied in there at the Real Academia de San Carlos with future renown Spanish painters Joaquín Sorolla and Pedro Ferrer. Best remembered for his paintings of landscapes and sea-scapes, Abril was awarded in the National Exhibitions of 1887, 1890 and 1892. Among his works are “Bosques de La Alhambra”, […]

John Abel (1970 - 1970)

Architect. He rose to prominence in 17th Century England, and served as King’s Carpenter to English monarch King Charles I. John Abel was born in Sarnesfield, Herefordshire. He was a Catholic recusant, along with his wife Johanna. John married twice, but there is no record of his second wife except on his table tomb in […]

Vilmos Aba-Novak (1894 - 1941)

Artist. He was one of Hungary’s leading painters between World Wars I and II. Born in Budapest, he studied at the College of Fine Arts from 1912 to 1914, and served in the Hungarian Army on the Eastern Front during World War I. From 1928 to 1931 he lived in Rome, Italy on a scholarship […]

Slim Aarons (1916 - 2006)

Photographer. He was born in Manhattan, New York. He worked mainly for society publications, taking pictures of the rich and famous both before and after serving as a photographer for the US military magazine Yank during World War II. His work has been included in the publications Town and Country, Holiday, Venture and LIFE. His […]

Wäinö Valdemar Aaltonen (1894 - 1966)

Sculptor. As a young man he studied painting for five years at the School of Drawing of the Turku Art Association in Turku, Findland, but as a sculptor he was largely self-taught. Working in bronze and stone, occasionally incorporating glass, he developed a naturalistic style, with some influence of Cubism, which he had encountered during […]

Yetta Zwerling (1894 - 1982)

Comedienne and motion picture actress of the 1930s through the 1950s. (bio by: A.J. Marik)

Lillian Zuckerman (1916 - 2004)

Actress. A longtime character actress Zuckerman appeared in many films that were set in or had something to do with Florida. Among her films are, “Lenny” (1974), “Deadbeat” (1976), “Nobody’s Perfekt” (1981), “The Mean Season” (1985), and Making Mr. Right” (1987). Zuckerman also was a model, voice actress, and also appeared in commercials, and episodes […]

Frances Marion Zucco (1931 - 1962)

British-born film actress of the 1950s. Daughter of famed character actor George Zucco. (bio by: A.J. Marik)  Family links:  Parents:  George Zucco (1886 – 1960)  Stella Francis Zucco (1900 – 1999)  Spouse:  James Richard Maguire (1933 – 2002)* *Calculated relationship

Voula Zouboulaki (1924 - 2015)

Greek Actress. Born Paraskevi Zouboulaki, she was an actress who appeared in both film and on the theatrical stage for over fifty years. She attended the Dramatic School of the National Theatre, the School of the National Odeon and the Law School of the University of Athens.  Zouboulaki went first into acting on the stage […]

China Zorilla (1922 - 2014)

Actress. Born Concepción Matilde Zorrilla de San Martín Muñoz, daughter of sculptor José Luis Zorrilla de San Martín, and granddaughter of Uruguay’s national poet Juan Zorrilla de San Martín, she grew up in Paris. After a career in the Uruguayan theatre, she moved to Argentina where she began a new lifelong career in movies, theatre […]

Valentina Zimina (1899 - 1928)

Actress. Born in Russia, during the Russian Civil War she escaped the country and came to Hollywood in 1923. She became a popular figure of the silent film era romantic melodramas making her debut in “A Son Of His Father” (1925). Her other credits included “Rose Of The Tenements” (1926), “La Boheme” (1926), “The Woman […]

Marjorie Zier (1909 - 1952)

Actress. Also known as Jerry Zier, she was most noted for appearing in early western talkies. Her credits included “Cactus Trails” (1927), “A Racing Romeo” (1927), “Phantom Of The Range” (1928) and “Dynamite” (1929). (bio by: John “J-Cat” Griffith)  Family links:  Spouse:  Michael John Patrick Cudahy (1907 – 1947)* *Calculated relationship

Monica Zetterlund (1937 - 2005)

Jazz singer, actress, comedienne. One of Sweden’s most acclaimed jazz singers with international recognition. In 1964 she teamed with Bill Evans making the record “Waltz for Debby,” considered one of her best recordings. She also performed with Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, Thad Jones and Zoot Sims, and the Swedish jazz musician Arne Domnerus, among others. One […]

Mai Elisabeth Zetterling (1925 - 1994)

Actress. Born in Sweden, she moved to London, England to pursue her career in film career. After an impoverished childhood and training at the Royal Dramatic Theatre School, Stockholm, Sweden. She starred in films like Frenzy in 1944 and came to England to play Frieda in 1947. Her film credits include, “Portrait from Life” in […]

Rosel Zech (1942 - 2011)

Actress. A longtime star of the German stage and screen she shall probably remembered for her lead role in 1982’s “Veronika Voss”. Raised in Hoya she broke into show business in 1962 at Landshut’s South Bavarian City Theatre then over the next years was to refine her craft in the increasingly important venues of such […]

Regina Zdanaviciute (1925 - 2015)

Lithuanian Actress. Zdanaviciute was a well-known actress in both the theater and film for many years. She graduated from the Juozas Miltinis Theatre Studio in 1943 and went directly to acting on the stage, appearing in over 120 productions throughout her career.  Zdanaviciute also appeared in numerous films during her career, such as “Niekas nenorejo […]

Blanche Yurka (1887 - 1974)

Actress. Born in St Paul, Minnesota, she was an opera singer when she made her debut as a character actor on Broadway in 1910. Turning to the screen, she is most remembered for the role as the vicious Madame Defarge in “A Tale of Two Cities” (1935). Among her many film credits were “Song of […]

Mei-Ling Barbara Yung (1959 - 1985)

Actress. Barbara Yung was a big star in Hong Kong prior to her suicide in 1985, and details of her funeral arrangements were widely publicised in the media. She was cremated in Hong Kong and her ashes taken back to Cambridge, England by her mother to be buried in a cemetery not far from where […]

Polly Ann Young (1908 - 1997)

Actress. She was the sister of Loretta Young.  Family links:  Parents:  Gladys Belzer (1888 – 1984)  Spouse:  James Carter Hermann (1905 – 1981)*  Children:  James Carter Hermann (1936 – 2012)*  Siblings:  Polly Ann Young (1908 – 1997)  Sally Blane (1910 – 1997)*  Loretta Young (1913 – 2000)*  Georgiana Young (1923 – 2007)* *Calculated relationship

Clara Kimball Young (1890 - 1960)

Actress. Known today only to silent film enthusiasts, she was a hugely popular star of the World War I era. Born in Chicago into a show business family, she made her vaudeville debut at age three and entered films with the Vitagraph studio in 1909. She was initially cast in one-reel comedies, but under the […]

Emma Yong (1975 - 2012)

Actress, Singer. A star of her country’s stage and screen, she was best known as a member of the popular group The Dim Sum Dollies. Raised in Singapore, she attended the upscale Raffles Girls School and Raffles Junior College where she was active in theatre. Emma gradually began a career on the local scene and […]

Lina Yegros (1913 - 1978)

Actress. She began her career at the age of 17 on stage, but soon moved to cinema, where she was known as “La Dulce Llorona” (“The Sweet Weeper”), because often she played dramatic roles. She become a movie star during Spanish Second Republic. She is best remembered for films such as “La Bien Pagada” (1933), […]

Grace Yearsley (1895 - 1967)

American motion picture actress in the silent era (1910s, 1920s). Later became one of the charter members of local 776 Motion Picture Film Editors. Married to actor Ralph Yearsley. (bio by: A.J. Marik)

Pauline Yates (1929 - 2015)

Actress. She was an English performer, best known for her a role as Elizabeth Perrin on the BBC television series, “The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin” (1976-79). After leaving school, she went straight into acting in stage shows at age 17. In 1957, she was cast in the role of Estelle Waterman for the […]

Rosita Yarza (1922 - 1996)

Noted Spanish Stage and Screen Actress. She began her career in 1939 with the film “El Rey que Rabió.” She also appeared in “Malvaloca” (1942), “Mariona Rebull” (1947), “¿Dónde vas Triste de ti?” (1960), “Las Últimas Horas” (1965) and “La Otra Orilla.” She was married to actor José María Seoane. (bio by: José L Bernabé […]

Isuzu Yamada (1917 - 2012)

Actress. One of her country’s most respected performers, she shall perhaps be best remembered in the West for her portrayal of the Lady Macbeth character in 1957’s “Throne of Blood”. Born Mitsu Yamada to a theatrical family, she received both musical and dance training as a child and at 13 was signed by the Nikkatsu […]

Cleyde Yaconis (1923 - 2013)

Actress. A pretty blonde with a deep voice, she is remembered for a career of more than 60 years that saw her earn her reputation by portraying ladies older than herself. Born Cleyde Becker Yaconis in the Sao Paulo suburb of Pirassununga to an Italian father and a Brazilian mother, she was raised in Santos […]

Margarita Xirgu (1888 - 1969)

Noted Spanish-born stage actress. She was a friend of the poet Federico García Lorca and was forced to exile during Franco’s dictatorship. She developed her career in Spain and America. She is remembered on stage in plays such as “Como tù me Deseas,” “Mariana Pineda,” and “La Casa de Bernarda Alba.” Originally buried at Cementerio […]

Gunn Wållgren (1913 - 1983)

Actress. Renowned Swedish actress who made her theatre debut in 1938. She was concidered one of the finest actresses of her generation by the critics, and made noted roles in plays by Tjechov, Shakespeare, Strindberg, Steinbeck, Goethe and Moliére among others. Her film debut was made in 1941 and one of her most recognoized film […]

Diana Wynyard (1906 - 1964)

Leading British actress of both stage and screen. Born Dorothy Isobel Cox in London, she began her acting career on stage in 1927. In 1932 she made her Hollywood debut in “Rasputin and the Empress” anlongside John, Lionel and Ethel Barrymore. Her film career went on to include the likes of “Cavalcade”(1933), “Reunion in Vienna”(1933), […]